No description available.

The primary concern in today's educational system is the rate of progress students achieve in the classroom. Research has shown token reinforcement programs to be an effective method of increasing rate of work in the classroom; however, token economies are time consuming and do not meet the needs of all classroom situations. The purpose of this study was to test the effectiveness of the use of free time as a reinforcer in increasing rate of speed in working arithmetic problems and peer acceptance (how well an individual is accepted by his peers). The data indicated that free time as a positive reinforcer did increase the rate of speed in working arithmetic problems correctly; however, it did not affect peer acceptance.

This study investigated the utility of positive peer reporting to improve placement outcomes in foster care settings. Rejected children are likely to exhibit disruptive behavior problems due to frequent negative interactions with their peers, augmenting an already unstable environment in foster care. Researchers have found positive peer reporting to be successful in increasing social status and positive interactions and reducing negative interactions. Utilizing a multiple baseline with reversal elements, this study examined the effects of positive peer reporting on the positive and negative interactions of socially rejected children in foster care settings. Results supported previous literature with the first participant's positive interactions increasing from a mean of 16.67% in baseline to 55.63% during treatment; this was the final phase after a placement change. The second participant's positive interactions increased from a baseline average of 8.6% to a mean of 52.67% after positive peer reporting was implemented. Percentages reversed to near-baseline levels when treatment conditions were removed, averaging 21.5%. Fading procedures returned positive interactions to 41.39%, and these levels maintained across the final baseline, averaging 40%.

This dissertation presents findings from a six-month qualitative case study that carefully examined the use of a multimodal literacy approach (anchored in graphic novels) in a 3rd grade classroom made up of Spanish-speaking English language learners (ELLs). The multimodal teaching approach (anchored in graphic novels) served as a focusing lens in which to investigate the larger complexities of ELLs’ classroom membership and participation. The focus of the study was examining whether a multimodal literacy approach (anchored in graphic novels) can be used as an instructional tool to enhance ELLs’ perceptions of belonging and acceptance through enhanced participation. Multiple, multimodal opportunities were provided to ELLs to express their sense of belonging, sense of agency, and overall perceptions of acceptance. The findings indicate that multimodal literacy practices can increase ELLs’ peripherality in cognitively and socially complex tasks and that this enhanced peripherality can lead to successful participation and engagement in cognitively demanding and socially complex tasks. Additionally, findings suggest that ELLs’ successful participation and engagement in cognitively and socially demanding tasks, as a result of the use of multimodal literacy practices, leads to increased legitimacy and peripherality for these ELLs. The findings also provide insight into the best practices for implementing a multimodal literacy approach (anchored in graphic novels) into multilingual classrooms. / Graduate / 0279 / 0524 / bomphray@uvic.ca

Performance goal practices have been linked to negative behavioral and emotional outcomes in students. Despite this, little research has been done to understand what leads teachers to use these practices. Additionally, while there is significant research on individual characteristics of students based on their placement in classrooms with high or low performance goal practices, there is a lack of research on how these practices affect their social relationships. These questions were examined in this two journal article dissertation. In the first study, 461 elementary teachers were surveyed on their use of performance goal practices, as well as their years of teaching experience. They were also asked to determine the number of students who drained their energy, a measure of teacher perceived stress. Finally, students from these classrooms were surveyed using peer nominations to determine the number of aggressive students in each classroom, a measure of stress exposure. Multiple regression analyses were used to evaluate what elements of teacher stress might predict the use of performance goal practices in elementary classrooms. In the second study, 576 elementary teachers were surveyed on use their performance goal practices. Students were assessed on their ability in reading and math, and peer nominations were used to determine to what degree each student was accepted by their peers. Hierarchical linear modeling was used to determine whether the use of performance goal practices moderated the relationship between academic achievement and peer acceptance. Results from the first study indicate that teacher perceived stress and years of experience are predictors of the use of performance goal practices. Results from the second study indicate that in lower elementary classrooms only, the relationship between math achievement and peer acceptance was stronger in classrooms where the teachers reported a higher use of performance goal practices. Overall, these studies suggest that teachers who perceive more stress are more likely to use classroom practices that do not lead to optimal outcomes for their students. Results also demonstrate that for younger elementary students, these practices inform their decisions about classmates' likeability, which could be harmful to the social status of lower achieving students.

The effect of a structured group approach on anxiety, using paraprofessionals, was investigated. The variables of setting (junior high school and youth rehabilitation center) and time (pre-post1 -posttest2) were also manipulated. Besides anxiety, four other variables were measured. Self-concept and anxiety were measured using the Piers-Harris Children's Self Concept Scale; peer rejection and peer acceptance were measured using the Peer Perception Questionnaire; teacher rating of student classroom behavior was measured using the Student Behavior: Teacher Rating Form. Sixteen subjects who had been screened with the pretest were randomly assigned to either treatment or control conditions at each institution (two junior highs and two youth rehabilitation centers). Four group leaders used lesson plans for eight sessions over three weeks for treatment and also taught a matched control class on anxiety using lesson plans. Both treatment and control groups were told they would participate in a special class on anxiety. At the end of the treatment period and again after a one-month interval, the measures were readministered. The data were analyzed by means of an analysis of variance for each of the five measures. The results indicate that self-concept, anxiety and teacher rating were affected by the main effect of treatment as well as setting and time. The treatment groups achieved the greatest degree of change during the treatment period (pre-posttest1). However, only the junior high school treatment groups continued to improve over time while the youth rehabilitation center treatment groups regressed. The control groups improved to a lesser extent during the treatment period but also regressed over time. Peer acceptance increased while peer rejection decreased over time regardless of treatment or setting. Implications of the results and limitations of the present study are related to recommendations.

No description available.

The purpose of this study is to show the results of an investigation into the relations of Sunday school attendance with peer acceptance and teacher ratings.

It is the purpose of this study to aid in determining to what extent Anglo and Latin-American school children on the preadolescent level accept one another in terms of mutual friendship choices, and to find evidence relating to the optimum racial proportion for the purpose of future classroom ethnic distributions.

The present study investigated the social adjustment (deviance), peer acceptance and academically related ability of pre-adolescent creative boys in a unique homogeneous school setting. More specifically, the study attempted to deal with the following questions: 1. What types of social deviance are characteristic of children at varying levels of creativity? 2. Is creativity more evident in children demonstrating certain socially deviant characteristics? 3. How much social acceptance is there of children demonstrating varying levels of social deviance and varying levels of creative ability? 4. What relationships exist "between creativity and intellectual ability, academic achievement and social behavior?